Mills



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1. N.LEONA RD. PLANT SUPPORT.

No. 546,167. Patented Sep t'; 10, 1895.

NVENTOR Merriam henna/mi W 6 m QC.

ATTOR N EYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

N. LEONARD.

PLANT SUPPORT.

No. 546,167. Patented Sept; 10, 1895.

WITNESSES L ATTORNEYS.

ANDREW BJNAHAM.PNOTD-UDIQWASNINGTOKDC.

twice.

ATENT NEWTON LEONARD, OF WASHINGTON MILLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DON S. PRENTIOE, OF SAME PLACE.

PLANT-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,167, dated September 10, 189-5.

Application filed December 31, 1394. Serial No. 533,882. (No model-l To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NEWTON LEONARD, of \Vashington Mills, in the county of Oneida, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Plant-Supports, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to apparatus for Si pporting and sustaining plants, and is particularly adapted to those which are fruit-bearing plants or have a heavy growth of branches, leaves, or vines.

My object is to produce a device for supporting the branches, vines, or shoots of plants of various kinds, and particularly to 1nainrain and support them in their upright position when laden with fruit, having special reference to tomato-plants, although I do not limit myself to any particular vegetable, as it will be evident that my device may be used for supporting and maintaining plants in genera]; and to that end my invention consists in the several new and novel features and,

combinations of parts hereinafter described, and which are specifically set forthin the claims hereunto annexed.

It is constructed as follows, reference being bad to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is an isometrical elevation of the plant-support set up ready for use. Fig. 2 is a View thereof in knockdown shape and in position in which it is shipped, except that the legs or supports are folded transversely upon the bands. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of one of the legs. Fig. 4. is a similar view in a modified form. Fig. 5 is a cross-section on line 00 w of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a cross-section on line 3 'y of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a cross-section on line 2 z of Fig. 3.

A is a band, hoop, or rod constructed of a piece of wire, or may be formed of a piece of sheet metal bent up to form a roll, and thus bent to form the band A, as shown.

B is the legs or supports constructed, as hereinafter partioularlyspecified, in sufficient numbers to support the bands which carry the plants. The legs or supports B are constructed as follows: I first take a strip of metal and bend it a short distance from either end, as shown at a and 0., bending the lower end back upon the body, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, then making a short bend or eye 1). The opposite end thus bent is bent first to form an eye a. The free end of the strip from which the leg is made is then allowed to pass down along parallel with the upper end of the body of the leg until it reaches the point d, where it is either bent inwardly to form a slotwayc (shown in Fig.4) or bent outwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, to form a shoulder d. The whole of the support is then rolled up and forms substantially a cylindrical body, except at points where the shoulders or bends are made.

It will thus be observed that I have formed easily, cheaply, and economically a leg or support for a plant-support adapted to withstand a considerable amount of weight.

It will also be observed that in case I desire to use two bands one of them may travel in the slotway e and rest in the bottom thereof, as shown at e, and be supported by it. It is not necessary, however, to make this slot- Way c upon all of the supports. It may be made upon one of them and the remaining ones constructed with a shoulder d, as shown in Fig. 3, to support them. The bend b is for the purpose of preventing the support or leg from pressing farther into the earth.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. A device for supporting plants, comprising a hoop, supporting legs, constructed from pieces of metal first bent at points adjacent to their ends and folded back onto the bodies, the extreme ends bent to form shoulders, and the upper ends of the legs thus formed, bent to form eyes and the bodies of the said legs rolled up, substantially as described.

2. The herein described supportingleg constructed from a piece of sheet metal, first bent at points adjacent to its ends and folded back onto the body, the extreme ends of the metal bent to form shoulders, the upper end of the leg thus formed bent to form an eye and the body of said leg rolled up laterally, as set forth.

3. A plant support, consisting of two rings,

5 and a suitable number of supporting legs, all

of which legs are provided with eyes or loops at their upper ends to receive the upper ring,

while one of the legs is provided with a loop 6 in which the lower ring is held, and the re- [0 maining legs with supporting shoulders 61 formed by turning up the ends of the downwardly turned portions of the sheet metal upon which the lower ring is supported, suhstantially as set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my [5 hand on this 11th day of December, 1894.

NEXVTON LEONARD. In presence of- J ESSIE E. MURRAY, HOWARD P. DENISON. 

